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  4. How do you feel about repeated notes and trills on the Synchron Steinway?

  • How do you feel about repeated notes and trills on the Synchron Steinway?

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    I'm considering purchasing the Synchron Steinway and am looking for some feedback on specifics from people who use it and have a good ear for the piano.

    The most common issue I have - creating very sparse, closely mic'ed and dry (in terms of reverberation) music - is finding a piano library that adequately emulates the effect of playing a note twice or more in close proximity, and trilling. 

    I have a feeling that when one trills two notes in close proximity on a real piano that the closely resonating strings influence eachother and the sound is affected in a way I have not found captured in a library.  Also, when playing a single note extremely fast, or in very close proximaty to it's previous iteration, - especially if the felt hasn't dropped - there is a change and fluxuation in sound created in part by the resonating string being restruck, I find that this usually goes unaccounted for.  I've read that the VSL Bosendorfer has an algorhithm to account for this, does the Synchron have an algorhythm or some other consideration?  With pedal and without pedal - how is the same note played in close temporal proximity to itself heard?  Does it sound like the real thing or two samples being triggered one after the other?  How are the trills?

    Also, is there the possibility to generate keynoise or approximate somehow a close micing near the keys?

    I'd be curious to hear feedback on any of these points.
  • bbeliusB
    bbeliusB

    Hi,

    I don't have the Steinway (but the CFX Standard). If you want to hear something specific, add a short midi file and ask nicely if someone can render it for you. I could render the file with the CFX if you like.

    Best, Ben

    Ben@VSL | IT & Product Specialist
  • 1
    1

    Thanks for the offer, bbelius.  I don't have any midi files specifically, I had just been playing through some libraries last year and basically gave up on finding one to actually use.  Hearing any sparse single note melodic passage of any variety on the Steinway D would be helpful, if anyone is interested in posting an on-the-fly single melody with some trills and repeated notes that would be a great gesture and really helpful.  I just lost a hard drive and don't have a setup.  I would want to hear how it sounds dry, close and laid bare on a single line with repeated notes, trills, etc.

    I'm not personally interested in the Yamaha sound, but thank you again for the offer to post a sound sample.
  • M
    M
    last edited
    last edited

    Hi 10bd01,

    Here are three examples in one file. I don't win a concours with this performance, but you get an impression what the Steinway does. How I feel about it? Completely glad and happy with it.

    Example of repetition notes and trills

  • stephen limbaughS
    stephen limbaughS

    It's not with close mics, but the Tchaikovsky demo I made has a ton of repeated notes.

    https://www.vsl.co.at/en/Synchron_Package/Concert_D#!Demos
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    MMKA, thank you very much for taking the time to upload the sample.  I found it convincing and just purchased the D-274.

    Stephen, thank you as well for pointing out the Tchaikovsky, though I had already heard all the samples provided and the non-close-mic'ed wetness was not stark enough for me to be able to tell either way.
  • M
    M

    Nice to hear from you! Congratulations on your new Steinway! I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
  • K
    K

    I wanted to reply to this because I think this is a particularly notable feature of the Synchron Steinway.  On most VSTs, repeated notes and fast trills are possible but often hard work and never terribly crisp sounding.  That's true even of the Synchron CFX (an instrument I overall prefer, but not in this respect).  The Synchron Steinway, makes them a lot easier and a lot crisper; it is undoubtedly the best piano VST I've yet tested in this respect.
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    Thanks for the additional feedback, karvala.  I'm looking forward to using it once I have a machine ready that can handle it!